IRISH ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

This Order declares certain species of flora to be protected throughout the State. In effect this means that, except under licence from the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, it is an offence for a person to cut, pick, uproot or otherwise take, purchase, sell or be in possession of any plant whether whole or part, of a species mentioned in the Order, or wilfully to alter, damage, destroy or interfere with the habitat of such a species. Article 2 (3) of the Order has the effect of excluding from the operation of the Order any plants of the named species which are cultivated as vegetables e.g. asparagus.

The main effect of this order is to  create seven fisheries regions and specify the geographical area and the name of each region,establish a regional fisheries board for each fisheries region and specify the name of the board and the number of members on the board, specify

i) the classes of electorate for elections to regional fisheries boards and

(ii) the number of members to be elected to each regional board by each class of the electorate, provide for the transfer of the properties of boards of conservators to the appropriate regional fisheries board and provide that any legal proceedings, contracts or debts, instituted, entered into or incurred by a board of conservators shall become the responsibility of the appropriate regional board.

This Order appoints the 29th of October, 1980, as the appointed day for the purposes of the Fisheries Act, 1980. On that day certain sections of the Fisheries Act, 1980, which are not yet operative, will come into operation. Among the sections which come into operation on the appointed day are those which provide for the dissolution of the Boards of Conservators and the Inland Fisheries Trust and the establishment of the Central Fisheries Board.

The effect of these Regulations is to remove the Bullfinch from the Third Schedule to the Wildlife Act, 1976 , thereby making it a protected species throughout the State. It will be an offence to hunt, take or kill the species or wilfully to take, injure, mutilate or destroy its nests or eggs. The Act enables fruit growers to take appropriate protective action where their crops are being damaged by the species.

The effect of these Regulations is to add the Common Frog, Common Lizard, Common Newt, Pygmy Shrew and Stoat to the list of protected species mentioned in the Fifth Schedule to the Wildlife Act, 1976 . It will be an offence to hunt, take or kill any of these species or wilfully to interfere with or destroy their breeding places.

These Regulations declare the bodies specified in the Schedule to be recognised bodies for the purpose of prosecution of offences under Section 44 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 in relation to unlawful hunting, or entry on land for the purpose of hunting, of wild animals or wild birds on lands over which the said bodies are entitled to enjoy sporting rights.

These Regulations apply to certain classes of Irish registered ships and require records to be kept on the matters relating to oil specified in Section 17 (1) of the Oil Pollution of the Sea Act, 1956 as amended by Section 13 of the Oil Pollution of the Sea (Amendment) Act, 1977 . They replace the Oil Pollution of the Sea (Records) Regulations 1957 as amended by the Oil Pollution of the Sea (Records) (Amendment) Regulations, 1967.

An Act to amend and extend The Fishery Harbour Centres Act, 1968[ July, 1980]